Five Additional Adult Class Members Confirmed COVID-19 Positive at High School Attended by Busan Case No. 174

Busan Office of Education Takes Emergency Measures After Student at Accredited High School-Affiliated Middle School Tests Positive

Yeongjin 607, where a COVID-19 confirmed case occurred, was docked at Busan Gamcheon Port Pier 3 on the afternoon of the 6th. [Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Five additional COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the adult class at Busan Pukyung Health High School, attended by Busan patient number 174, raising alarms.

Among the five additional confirmed cases, one resides in Haeundae-gu, three in Saha-gu, and one in Jung-gu.

On the 11th, the Busan Metropolitan Office of Education announced that six people, including student A (female, born in 1962, patient number 174) attending the lifelong education facility's accredited high school-affiliated middle school adult class, five other adult class students, and one first-year student at a private high school who is the granddaughter of one of the confirmed cases, were additionally confirmed positive for COVID-19, prompting emergency measures at the school.

Patient number 174, Ms. A, tested positive for COVID-19 on the morning of the 9th at the Saha-gu Public Health Center.

Subsequently, on the 10th, tests were conducted on 38 individuals, including 33 classmates and 5 teachers at the same school, resulting in five additional students being confirmed positive by the respective health centers.

Additionally, one first-year student at a private high school, who is the granddaughter of one of these confirmed cases, also tested positive.

All six confirmed cases (female) at the accredited high school-affiliated middle school are from the adult night class. The adult night class has 173 enrolled students who have been attending classes in divided groups both on-site at the school annex and remotely.

Busan health authorities set up and operated a screening clinic at the high school-affiliated middle school’s playground on the 11th to conduct comprehensive testing promptly.

The testing targets approximately 1,000 individuals, including 874 students from the adult day and night classes of the high school and affiliated middle school, and 65 faculty and staff members.

Among them, those residing in Saha-gu are tested at this screening clinic, while those living in other areas are tested at their local health centers.

The Metropolitan Office of Education has switched the adult classes at the school to remote learning until August 14th as a precaution and has initiated disinfection procedures. The school is scheduled to begin its vacation on the 17th.

Additionally, on the 11th, disinfection was carried out at four schools attended by the grandchildren of the confirmed cases: two elementary schools (on vacation since the 1st), one middle school (on vacation since the 7th), and one high school (vacation starting on the 15th).

Six academies in Saha-gu and Haeundae areas, where the grandchildren of the confirmed cases attended, were advised to close temporarily. Health authorities were also requested to conduct comprehensive testing of students and staff at the high school where the granddaughter tested positive.

The Metropolitan Office of Education is identifying contacts within the schools and academies related to the confirmed cases and their families, and all contacts and symptomatic individuals are being required to undergo COVID-19 testing.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.